What to Look for in Sunscreen And what Important Factors To Consider!

10th Apr 2016ecostinger

In our world today, it's getting more and more difficult to choose which sunscreen works best. The multitude of options we are faced with can be overwhelming. #Sunscreen has always been a very important product which should be used daily for health reasons. Incorporating it into your daily routine is essential to ensure that you'll get lesser risks of skin cancer. Products which contain Helioplex as well as Loreal's Anthelios SX have both provided us the opportunity to experience the most amazing advancements in sunscreens. They were designed and specifically made to provide full protection against UVA and UVB rays. Although choosing the right sunscreen is very important, it's also crucial to know the proper way of using it. A lot of people are not aware about how to properly apply sunscreen. It causes them not to gain the maximum benefits of the product. Today, let's take a look into What to Look for in Sunscreen which will serve as your guide in making the right decision.

Sunscreens were made to shield our skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. There are two main processes which prevents these harmful ingredients to come in contact with our skin. Some were designed to scatter the light and reflect it away from the body. Others were made to absorb UV rays before reaching your skin and damaging it. In the past few years, it has been very common for people to choose sunscreen based on how much Sun Protection Factor (SPF) it has. SPF indicates how effective the sunscreen could protect you from catching ultraviolet B which is a type of UV ray connected with cancer. However, SPF can only protect you by blocking only UVB rays. The most recent research regarding sunscreens revealed that ultraviolet A (UVA) rays is also connected with the increased risks of skin cancer. UVA rays does not cause sunburn. It works by penetrating deep into the skin and is known to cause wrinkles. Approximately 90% of skin changes which are related to skin aging happened because of a lifetime exposure to UVA rays.

The most important factor to take into consideration regarding sunscreens is to make sure it has both UVA and UVB protection. Specific ingredients are also tied up with providing high spectrum protection. This includes cinnamates, benzophenones, salicylates, sulisobenzone, avobenzone, titanium dioxide, ecamsule and zinc oxide. SPF is still a very great indication of how effective a sunscreen works. It has to have a minimum of SPF 15 but a higher SPF is more effective in protecting the skin. You can decide which one suits you best depending on your sun exposure. If you usually get sunburned within 10 minutes, you can multiply the SPF in the sunscreen by a factor of 15. This means that you can be exposed in the sun for a maximum of 150 minutes before the product loses its effect on your skin. Majority of people only require SPF 15 but people with very fair skin must consider using higher SPF sunscreens. This is because research has revealed that they together with people who have a family history of skin cancer or conditions which increases sensitivity to sunlight should use SPF 30 or higher.

In terms of UVA protection, there is no exact way to determine how well a sunscreen could block UVA rays. The best indication you can rely on is the list of ingredients. A good sunscreen should at least have one of these ingredients: ecamsule, oxybenzone, avobenzone, sulisobenzone, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Depending on your planned activity for the day, you need to make sure that you're using the correct sunscreen to go with it. For example, if you're going swimming you need to make sure that you purchase one which is water and sweat resistant. According to the FDA, the term water resistant dictates how long the SPF level stays effective after a certain amount of time in water. Regular waterproof sunscreens usually hold up to a maximum of 40 minutes while very water resistant variants can hold up to 80 minutes. Even though they are marked as waterproof, it's important to know that they still have to be re-applied regularly. There is also sunscreen specifically made for children and people with skin problems. People with rosacea will benefit from using sunscreens which are designed for children. Those with skin irritations or allergies should avoid sunscreens which have preservatives, alcohol and fragrances.